Philicia was born during the civil war in Sierra Leone. Her mother died when she was just a baby and her father fled her village in fear of ethnic cleansing, leaving Philicia to grow up with her grandmother.

When she was six, the effectively orphaned child left Africa for Australia.

``I'm happy I came here,'' she said. ``I don't know why, but I never liked it over there I didn't like the environment.''

Despite enjoying her Australian home, Philicia still feels alone.

``At school everyone talks about their dads and their mums and I feel really left out,'' she said.

And then a few months ago, completely out of the blue, Philicia's grandmother received a call from Africa. A man named Nafisatu Kabia was on the line. It was Philicia's dad.

``At first I was too scared to talk because I didn't know him, but I eventually got the courage,'' she said.

The feisty sixth grader has now one goal.

``My dad is in Guinea with a new family and new kids, but I want bring him here,'' she said.

``I want him to come so I have someone to play with.''

Philicia's family is in the process of lodging the application for his asylum here in Australia.

If the application is accepted Philicia believes she will have everything she ever wanted.

``It's what I want most in the whole world,'' she said.